Composition and method for strengthening hair fibers

Abstract

A hair fiber strengthening composition includes an aqueous vehicle containing as a hair strengthening additive a source of metal cations having a valence of 2 or 3 and anions derived from an oxidized carbohydrate, an inorganic acid and/or an organic acid, the composition having a pH of less than about 6. These compositions have the advantage of strengthening the hair fibers without the undesirable effect of darkening or spotting the hair, particularly light-colored or bleached hair. These compositions are particularly useful for strengthening hair that has been subjected to potentially damaging chemical treatments such as bleaching, coloring, or relaxing, or to provide a strengthening effect prior to and in anticipation of such chemical treatments.

1 . A hair fiber strengthening composition which comprises an aqueous vehicle and a hair strengthening agent which is at least one metal compound of the general formula:
   Me + (X − ) n      wherein Me +  is the cation of a metal ion selected from the group consisting of Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Fe 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Zn 2+ , n is 2 when Me +  is selected from Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Fe 2+ , or Zn 2+ , and n is 3 when Me +  is Fe 2+ , and each X −  is independently an anion of (i) an oxidized carbohydrate of the formula:
     − O—R(O)—R
 
   wherein R is the residue of the same or different carbohydrate, or an anion (ii) derived from the same or different inorganic or organic acid, provided, there is at least one anion (i), and wherein the composition has a pH of less than about 6.   
     
     
         2 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein the metal compound Me + (X − ) n  is at least one member selected from the group consisting of: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         when Me 2+  is selected from Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Zn 2+ , and selected from the group consisting of: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         when Me 2+  is Fe 3+ . 
       
     
     
         3 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein the Me +  selected from is one or more of Ca 2+ , Fe 2+ , or Fe 2+  cations. 
     
     
         4 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein the Me +  is a Ca 2+  cation. 
     
     
         5 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein the Me +  is selected from one or more of Fe 2+ , or Fe 2+  cations. 
     
     
         6 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous vehicle is a solution, dispersion or suspension containing the at least one hair fiber strengthening agent. 
     
     
         7 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 5  wherein the composition has a pH of from about 2.5 to about 5.5. 
     
     
         8 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 5  wherein the aqueous vehicle is selected from (i) an aqueous liquid or (ii) an aqueous vehicle in the form of a gel network. 
     
     
         9 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 8  wherein (ii) the lamellar gel comprises at least one fatty alcohol and a surfactant selected from at (a) least one cationic surfactant or (b) one or more nonionic surfactants having an HLB value for the one or more nonionic surfactants from about 8 to about 16. 
     
     
         10 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein in the  − O—C(O)—R anion, each R independently is the residue of the same or different carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. 
     
     
         11 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein each  − O—C(O)—R anion is independently selected from the group consisting of anions of ribonic acid; ribulonic acid; arabinonic acid; xylonic acid; xylulonic acid; lyxonic acid; allonic acid; altronic acid; gluconic acid; mannonic acid; gulonic acid; idonic acid; galactonic acid; talonic acid; glucoheptonic acid; psiconic acid; fructonic acid; sorbonic acid; tagatonic acid; lactobionic acid; maltobionic acid; isomaltobionic acid; cellobionic acid; oxidized malto-oligosaccharide; oxidized cello-oligosaccharide; oxidized cellulose; chitin; gum arabic; gum karaya; gum xanthan; oxidized gum guar; oxidized locust bean gum; oxidized agars; oxidized algins; and oxidized gellan gum. 
     
     
         12 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein the mole ratio of  − O—R(O)—R anions to Me cations is from above about 1.0 to about 3.0. 
     
     
         13 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein each X −  anion is independently selected from the group consisting of chloride, fluoride, sulfate, alkylsulfonate, arylsulfonate, alkarylsulfonate, phosphate, oxalate, acetate, citrate and lactate. 
     
     
         14 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein the total concentration of Me +  cations in the composition is from about 0.0005 to about 0.1 moles/liter. 
     
     
         15 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein metal compound Me + (X − ) n  is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Fe 2+  lactobionate, Fe 2+  maltobionate, Fe 2+  isomaltobionate, Fe 2+  lactobionate, Fe 2+  maltobionate, Fe 2+  isomaltobionate, Fe 2+  gluconate, Fe 2+  gluconate, Fe 2+  glucoheptonate, Fe 2+  glucoheptonate, Zn 2+  lactobionate, Zn 2+  maltobionate, Zn 2+  isomaltobionate, Zn 2+  gluconate, Zn 2+  gluconate, Zn 2+  glycerophosphate, Mg 2+  maltobionate, Mg 2+  isomaltobionate, Mg 2  gluconate, Mg 2+  glucoheptonate, Ca 2+  maltobionate, Ca 2+  isomaltobionate, Ca 2+  gluconate, and Ca 2+  glucoheptonate. 
     
     
         16 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein metal compound Me + (X − ) n  is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Fe 2+  gluconate or Fe 2+  gluconate. 
     
     
         17 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 2  wherein each Me +  cation is independently selected from the group consisting of Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Fe 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Zn 2+ , each acid-derived anion is independently selected from the group consisting of chloride, fluoride, sulfate, alkysulfonate, aryl sulfonate, alkarylsulfonate, phosphate, oxatate, acetate, citrate and lactate, and each  − OC(O)—R anion is independently selected from the group consisting of lactobionate, maltobionate, isomaltobionate, gluconate, and glucoheptonate. 
     
     
         18 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein the mole ratio of  − O—R(O)—R anion to anion derived from an inorganic or organic acid is from about 0.1 to about 15, the composition containing from about 1 to about 20 weight percent Me + (X − ) n  compound. 
     
     
         19 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 17  further comprising at least one metal compound selected from the group consisting of Fe 2+  chloride, Fe 2  fluoride, Mg +2  chloride, Ca +2  chloride, Fe 2+  chloride, Fe 2+  sulfate, Fe 2+  sulfate, Mg +2  sulfate, Ca +2  sulfate, Fe 2+  phosphate, Fe 2+  phosphate, Mg +2  phosphate, Ca +2  phosphate, Fe 2+  oxalate, Fe 2+  oxalate, Fe 2+  acetate, Fe 2+  acetate, Fe 2+  glycerophosphate, Fe 2+  glycerophosphate, Zn 2+  chloride, Zn +2  fluoride, Zn +2  sulfate, Zn 2+  phosphate, Zn 2+  acetate, Zn 2+  aspartate, Zn 2+  citrate, Zn 2+  lactate, Zn 2+  malate, Zn 2+  glycerophosphate, Fe 2+  glycinate, Mg +2  aspartate, Ca +2  aspartate, Mg +2  citrate nonahydrate, Ca +2  citrate nonahydrate, Mg +2  gluconate, Ca +2  gluconate, Mg +2  lactate, Ca +2  lactate, Mg +2  glycerophosphate, Ca +2  glycerophosphate, Mg +2  malate, Ca +2  malate, Mg 2+  glycinate, and Ca 2+  glycinate. 
     
     
         20 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  comprising at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of silicone-based hair conditioning agent, organic diluent/solvent, surfactant/emulsifier, viscosity modifier, emollient, fatty substance, preservative, skin protectant, penetration enhancer, antioxidant, fragrance, colorant, Me +  cation-reactive color former, plant extract, nutrient and auxiliary agent. 
     
     
         21 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  wherein formaldehyde and/or formaldehyde precursor is substantially absent. 
     
     
         22 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  which provides an increase in wet elasticity or break strength when applied to a hair fiber as determined by the Young's Modulus, compared to a hair fiber to which the composition of  claim 1  has not been applied. 
     
     
         23 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  which provides an increase in wet elasticity or break strength of at least 10% when applied to a hair fiber as determined by the Young's Modulus, compared to a hair fiber to which the composition of  claim 1  has not been applied. 
     
     
         24 . The hair fiber strengthening composition of  claim 1  which provides minimal darkening of hair fibers as demonstrated by a Hunter Lab colorimeter reading decrease of less than about 5 L* units. 
     
     
         25 . A method of strengthening hair fiber which comprises: contacting hair fiber to be strengthened with a hair fiber strengthening composition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         26 . A method of strengthening hair fiber which comprises:
 (a) contacting hair fiber to be strengthened with a hair fiber strengthening composition according to  claim 1 , and.   (b) maintaining the hair fiber strengthening composition in contact with the hair fiber for a period of time sufficient to result in penetration of Me +  cations into the cortex of the hair fiber and subsequent formation of hair fiber-strengthening chelate of Me +  cations with cortex keratin thereof.   
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein the hair fiber has been chemically treated.